1. Field of the Invention
This device relates to an invention for separating oil and water and for then storing the separated oil. More particularly, the invention relates to a collapsible container for separating oil from water resulting from oil spills in an open body of water and for storing and transporting the separated oil so the oil can later be removed from the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several devices currently exist for separating oil from water Exemplary of these are U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,652 issued to J. E. Woolley on Apr. 26, 1980 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,062 issued to J. Rafael on Apr. 1, 1975. The Woolley device shows a single flexible container which floats in the sea and is connected at one end by an inlet pipe to a pump on a pontoon. The pump pumps a mixture of oil and water from an oil slick into the container. At the other end of the container is an outlet connected to an outlet pipe lying on the bottom of the container.
The oil and water mixture is pumped into the container at such a rate that it separates into an upper oil layer and a lower water layer. As the oil and water mixture is pumped into the container through the inlet pipe, due to hydrostatic pressure, the separated water is expelled from the container through the outlet pipe lying on the bottom of the container. The oil floating on the top of the water is retained in a container until the container is nearly full of oil. At this time oil will begin to be forced out of the inlet pipe indicating that the container is full. The outlet and inlet pipes are then closed. The container may then be towed back to shore where it may be emptied.
The Rafael device is a floating body which contains an inlet opening for moving an oil and water mixture into a dome shaped collection chamber by skimming a top layer of oil and water mixture as the device moves through the water. The inlet opening may be adjusted upward or downward in the polluted water so that the height of the water to be skimmed may be adjusted. At the rear end of the collecting chamber are a plurality of ducts which extend across the entire width of the collecting chamber. These ducts end in a constricted outlet opening which slows down the water and oil mixture as it moves through the ducts sufficiently so that oil particles in the water and oil mixture are separated. The separated oil, being lighter than water, rises up to the top of the dome-shaped chamber where it is removed.
Neither the Woolley nor the Rafael device provides means for appreciably reducing agitation within each of the devices in containers or chambers in order to enhance oil and water separation or provide a plurality of chambers for progressively separating oil and water.